Bottle-capping device



Y E. M. LETTS BbT'rLE CAPPING DEVICE Original Filed 001 11, 1921 v I 9. l6

Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,572,543 PATENT OFFICE.

ELLSWORTH M. LETTS, OF WA VERLY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF FOR'IY-NI1\TE ONE- HUNDREDTHS TO CHARLES C. ANNABEL, 0F WAVERLY, NEXV YORK.

BOTTLE-CAPPING DEVICE.

Application filed October 11, 1921, Serial No. 506,963. Renewed'June 30, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLSWORTH M. harm, a citizen of the United States, and residing at \Vaverly, Tioga County, State of New York, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Bottle-Capping Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to bottle capping devices and particularly to devices designed and constructed to be used as hand tools, such as described in my copending ap plications Serial Nos. 401,939, filed August 7, 1920 and 404,335, filed August 18, 1920.

The object of the invention is to provide a hand tool for applying the wellknown crown caps to glass bottles, which is easy to operate while at the same time is capable of exerting a great force, which is simple in construction, and which can be fabricated of sheet metal, reducing thereby the weight and cost of the tool, and facilitating its manufacture.

One form of the invention will be disclosed in the accompanying drawings by way of example. In the drawings:

Figurel is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section of the tool shown in the position which it occupies at the conclusion of a bottle capping operation, the bottle and cap being illustrated in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the tool, the parts being shown in the positions which they occupy at the begin ning of the cap applying movement;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on line i l of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is an end view of the tool as viewed from the left, Figure 1.

The tool has two main members 10 and 11, the rear ends of which are pivotally connected at 12, and the forward ends of which comprise cap and bottle holding devices 10 and 11 respectively. The members 10 and 11 which are preferably stamped from sheet metal, are adapted to be moved toward and away from each other by toggle mechanism, which comprises links 13 and bell crank lever 14, the upper ends of links 13 being pivotally connected to member 10 at 15, and their lower ends being pivotally connected to lever 14 at 16. The bell crank lever 14 is pivotally connected at 17 to the member 11. Swinging movement of the lever 14 effects relative movement of the main members l0 and 11, and in the operation of the device in capping a bottle the member 14; is adapted to swing from the position in which it is illustrated in Figure 2 to the position in which it is shown in Figure l, the action of the toggle mechanism being such that if a constant force is maintained on the free end of lever 1 1- the force exerted by this mechanism, and tending to bring the members 10 and 11 together, constantly increases as the lever approaches its final position in which it is shown inFigure 1.

The portion 10 has a frusto-conicalre cess 10 in its underside which is adapted to receive a bottle cap 18 of well known type having corrugated flanges The bottle holding portion 11 of member 11 has its end notched at 11 and the arms of this bifurcated end portion are adapted to extend on opposite sides of the neck of the bottle 19 below the annular head or rib 19 of the bottle. The upper surface of the portion 11 has secured thereto an alum inum plate 20 also having a notch therein to receive the neck of the bottle, this aluminum' plate serving to contact against the head 19 to serve as a firm support for the bottle during the capping operation and yet being of sufficient plasticity to accommodate itself to the irregularities of the bead 19' so that breakage, or damage to the glass cannot occur.

In applying a cap to a bottle, the tool is positioned as shown in Figure 2, a metal cap being placed. in the recess 10 and directly over the mouth of the bottle, the bottle holding portion 11 of member 11 being somewhat below the bead 19. If

now members 10 and 11 be pressed toward each other links 18 will exert a downward pressure at 16 on lever 14 which will cause the handle of this lever to move toward the member 11 through a limited distance. This movement stops of course as soon as the plate 20 contacts with the bead 19. The lever 14 is then grasped by the fingers of the operator, the member 10 being pressed by the palm of the hand, and a suificient force exerted LO bring the lever 14; into the position shown in Figure 1. Due to the me chanical advantage of the toggle mechanism no great hand pressure need be exerted in this manner to effect the emplacement of the cap.

\Vhen this movement has been completed the lever 14 is. moved away from the member 11 and the tool removed from the'neck of the bottle. The lever 14 is cutaway at 14: on each side to facilitate, its being grasped by the fingers. The cap holding recess 10 being upwardly taperedino difiis culty is experienced in freeing the bottle and cap from the tool as the cap is easily Withdrawn from this recess.

The various members of the tool may be conveniently stamped from sheet metal thus decreasing the cost of manufacture. The tool is also much lighter than tools of this class but is amply strong to perform the functions required.

If desired, the arrangement of the toggle mechanism may be reversed, the lever 1-1 being pivotally secured to the member 10 instead of to the member 11, and links '13 being secured to the member 11 instead of pivoted to the member 10. The cap holding device may be separately constructed and secured to member 10, or tomember 11 as desired, and the bottle holding device may also be separately formed and secured in place. It Willbe obvious to those skilled in the art that still other changes may be made witl'iin the spirit of the invention, which is not limited to the structure disclosed. The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: f

In a bottle capping device, in combination, two substantially parallel main memsaid lever constituting a handle adapted to beengaged by the fingers of the operator and spaced: parallellinks pivotally connect-- ing the other arm .offsaid' lever to the other of said, main members, said links lying on opposite sideswof the main members.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ELLSTV ORTH M. LETT S 

